


I'm Worked Up But You're There For Me

by Loverer



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 07:20:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14929730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loverer/pseuds/Loverer
Summary: Roger's got more things on his plate than he can handle - Nike sponsorship deal, first match back, worries about kids - and it's just getting too much.Luckily, Rafa there's for him, as always.





	I'm Worked Up But You're There For Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hi peeps, 
> 
> Okay, first of all, I'm more stressed about the Nike issue than probably Roger himself lol, but am I the only one not being able to imagine him wearing anything but the Swoosh?
> 
> Plus, I swear I noticed he was a bit off in his first match back yesterday and he just looked somehwere else to me. He talked about it later in his pressers too.
> 
> Anyway, I'm just happy Roger's back on tour but I still thought it warrants a one-shot. :) 
> 
> This could be placed in the Living the Tennis Life universe or could be read as a stand alone too
> 
> Thanks and enjoy, and comments are always very welcome! 
> 
> Hope you like it. XD
> 
> xx
> 
> Disclaimer - not true, all fake.

"Yes well, I don't know that do I?" 

Roger was on the phone with someone, pacing up and down the hallway of his suite and Rafa didn't know what to do but watch. 

"I know that. I just hoped to be informed earlier... If you're not considering it as much." Even considering the obvious inconvenience of the situation, Roger seemed more annoyed than normal. And that, to Rafa, was worrying. 

"Look I made it very clear to James, like months ago, on what I was hoping after March and he told me that it would be no problem..." He paused to listen. "Right, yeah, hm... I know," he chuckled softly though not in the most happy way, "I know. Yeah, anyway, I'll be busy from now so I'd rather you talk with Tony-" 

The bell rang at that point and Roger stopped pacing to frown at the door. He waved his hand to stop Rafa rising to open the door and instead went to get it himself. 

He was still on the phone. "Yes right, um just one minute please..." 

He opened the door to Tony and pointed to the phone and mimed "Raymond from Nike" 

He let Tony in and hovered in the middle of the room, Tony by his side. "No, look Raymond, I know. But I'm playing right now and I can't continue this personally. You'll have to collaborate with Tony. We do have offers but like I said I've not signed anything as of now. I don't think I need to confirm that again." Roger's tone acquired a tint of sharpness which Rafa rarely heard from Roger. It signalled many things, the most prominent being that he was getting worked up. Too worked up for his own good. Rafa sighed and shook his headly unhappily. This was not how the new swing was supposed to start. 

"Anyway I have to go now. I believe you'll let Tony know if there's anything else. Yes thank you. Bye now." Roger hung up and turned to Tony. 

"I thought they were going to email you from now on?" Rafa could see Roger was on the verge of snapping but somehow he was trying to keep it together. 

"They were." Tony frowned, thinking the situation through. "I don't know why they keep bothering you." 

"And they said we started the rumours. Did we?" 

"Uhm well." Tony looked guilty at best. 

"Tony!" 

"I didn't think it would get so far." He added quickly. "I thought it'll put some pressure on them." 

"It did put pressure on them. And now they're looking to put it back on me." Roger took a moment, controlling his annoyance. He knew he couldn't upset any of his team for such stupid things. "I can't do this right now you know that." 

"I know I know. It'll be looked into. I'll see to that." 

Roger nodded and was about to say something when his other phone, the personal one, rang. He went back to the couch and picked it up. 

"Hey you okay?" He listened and smiled. And just looking at that smile Rafa knew who was calling. He watched Roger calm down a little bit as he continued talking. 

"You want chocolates from here? Seriously? Myla, there's plenty of chocolates at home, and German chocolates," he made a face at that, which Rafa had to laugh at. Convincing Roger of buying any other chocolate than Swiss was impossible, even for his daughters. He had to give Myla credit for trying though. 

"I mean come on," Roger continued, "Swiss chocolates are way better." He paused again, then sighed. "Oh? You don't? Good. Fine I'll get you wurst then. Yes, I'll get it. Wurst is fine. I'll get that. Okay, bye, yeah I miss you too sweetie, I'll come back soon. I will do. Bye..." 

He put the phone down and shook his head smiling, then remembered Tony was still waiting for him and turned back to him, "you were saying?" 

"Ah yes, could you um sign a few things to give out to fans, the tourney is doing this with every player." 

Roger looked at the bag in Tony's hand and nodded, sitting on the couch. "Yeah sure." 

Tony put the a whole pile of things in front of Roger and handed him a pen. Rafa could barely see Roger from his new position on the couch and so he walked over to the door to the living room, leaning against the door frame. Only now did Tony notice him. 

"Oh hi Rafa! I just noticed you" 

Rafa smiled at him brightly and waved a hand in dismissal. Honestly, Tony not noticing him was least of his concerns right now. He was worried about Roger, who was busy imprinting his signs on all the memorabilia. He was so absorbed in it, doing what he was told with sincerity, that Rafa had to smile. By the end of it, his hand had almost cramped. 

"There. Is that all? Can do a few more now that I'm here?" 

"No no this is it. Thank you. And I'll see to that Nike thing." 

Roger nodded and smiled gratefully as Tony left and closed the door behind him. He looked at Rafa standing by the door frame and smiled. He looked so tired suddenly. 

His phone rang and Rafa couldn't help but frown. It was evening, and people were still phoning him. No such thing as privacy these days. 

Roger answered in his formal-friendly voice. "Hello, Roger here. Yes of course I remeber you! Oh uhm, 9 am... Yeah should be no problem. No no it's fine. Okay see you tomorrow." 

Rafa had had enough. He walked over to Roger, took his phone and switched it off and tossed it to the pile of clothes on the floor in an expert throw. 

"What are you-" 

"Shh let them call. You're not a manager of yourself no? They call Tony if they need." 

Roger hummed his approval and went to stand by the window. The cloudy evening light was almost melancholic outside. 

Rafa pouted at Roger's back though he couldn't see him. Roger was so wound up today it was crazy. Even now Rafa could see the tension in his shoulder, the way he was standing almost stiffly and how his breathing was anything but relaxed. Rafa could sense that Roger wasn't quite here. 

He went to stand behind Roger and wrapped his arms around the man's waist, resting his palms on his stomach. He let his head rest on his back and he felt Roger sigh softly at his touch. 

"Myla want wurst?" Rafa asked softly. 

"Hm." 

"We'll get some before you leave here." 

"Hm." 

Rafa wanted to ask about Nike. He knew it was bothering Roger. Even today in the match, he was not concentrating like he always did. Whether it was just lack of match practice or he was just not fully there Rafa couldn't tell. But even after the match, Roger wasn't his usual happy self. He was agitated the whole day. 

"Rogi... I no gonna ask if something is wrong because I know there is... You want me to talk to Nike?" 

"What? No Raf, of course not! Don't be silly. It's just... I.." Roger turned to face Rafa now. His eyes were almost teary. Rafa could see the tension boiling inside him. 

"Rafa I just... This is just so much. It's a whirlwind. Today's match was, yeah, it was okay. But god, it was far from good. I need to be better. And I can't. Because there was just too much in my head! Since last week everything is just going bonkers. The girls were not well, then the boys were not well, Mirka has been over-working! Bless her. But I couldn't even help her." 

Roger gestured his hands wildly to indicate how frustrated he was with himself. Rafa wanted to say something. He wanted to say a few things actually. But he didn't. Roger needed a venting out. He was just keeping everything bottled up and it was getting to him. So Rafa just stood infront if him and nodded as he continued. 

"Couldn't help because I was so damn busy with bloody practice all the time! Then the whole rumours started. This and that and god! Turns out it was all started by us! And Nike's being an ass and Uniqlo - well they're just jumping at the oppotunity now. And they're all just dying for money! So what if I asked Nike for a good contract? I bet they're like 'oh he's near retirement now no point investing in him'. Like I can't believe that. And now I'm just sore from the match. And I've still got Halle after this and then Wimbledon..." Roger let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and buried his face in his hands. 

For a second Rafa thought he was crying. But he wasn't. He was just fed up. Clearly. Rafa rubbed his arm soothingly and simply let the moment be. Every human has outbursts and with all the expectation he carried around, why couldn't Roger have one too? 

"It's too much! Before that I lost two matches in a row! At least I broke *that* streak... And no one is understanding, everyone just wants attention all the time! Because I'm so Mr Perfect I've got to be available for everyone all the bloody time! I'm sick of it! Sick." 

Roger ended with a huff from behind his hands and then they just stood there. A few seconds dragged by calmly. The light tapping of the drizzle on the window being the only sound for some time. 

Eventually, Rafa cupped Roger's face and urged him to look up. His hazel eyes were indeed moist but no he wasn't crying. 

Rafa smiled at his lover. "We no had dinner. You want room service?" 

Realisation flickered over Roger's face as his eyes widened. "Oh my god yeah! You still haven't eaten either. Rafa I am so sorry-" 

"Shhh." Rafa pecked Roger's lips, "you talk too much today. Shush for a bit." 

A small trace of a smile curled beautifully at Roger's lips and there was nothing, nothing in this world that could make Rafa as happy as that smile. Even if a small one. 

He left Roger standing at the window and ordered them some dinner. Then he went back to Roger and led him to the couch, sitting him down. 

"What are we doing-" 

"I say no? Don't talk... All day, yabber yabber yabber" 

Roger smiled a bit more this time. It was almost a chuckle. 

Rafa wandered off again and came back with a small bottle of oil. He stood behind the couch, opened the bottle and poured out some oil. He rubbed his hands together and then buried his fingers in Roger's hair, massaging the scalp with firm but gentle strokes. 

And instantly, almost like a switch being flicked off, Roger's shoulders slumped and relaxed. Rafa shook his head at his silly boyfriend. Honestly, what was he like? 

Rafa worked in some more oil but he was mindful of not letting Roger fall asleep because he still had to eat. So every now and then he made sure he talked to him. 

"You remember when we go to Maldives last summer?" 

"Hm" 

"Where we go this year?" 

"I don't know Raf, where would you like?" 

"I think we should go Maldives again." 

"Yeah?" 

"Yeah. We rent a cottage like last time. We stay in bed all day, not change out of pajamas, not bother with any chores, go to beach at night..." 

"It was cold at night there." 

"And you got cough and cold next morning. You scare me no? And I run around all day to make you feel better." 

Roger chuckled softly. He let his head fall back to rest on the backrest. His eyes were closed. "I kept telling you to relax but you were so scared it was amazing." 

"Is about you Rogi. How I not be scared?" 

"You worry too much." 

Rafa chuckled softly. After spending all day worrying and fussing and annoyed, his charming boyfriend was telling him he worries too much. 

"Sometimes we all worry. But is good to not let it take over us, stress us out so much that we forget to smile, laugh, eat..." 

Roger smiled at that. What a subtle way his boyfriend had of reminding him how to be happy again. 

The bell rang and Rafa went to get it. He brought the food in and laid it on the table in front of the couch. He ordered shrimps for himself and pasta for Roger. 

"Thank you Rafa, you're so amazi-" 

Rafa rolled his eyes and stuffed the first fork of pasta into Roger's mouth, half to shut him up and half because he was worried about how long it had been since he last ate. After that Roger ate in silence. And he only looked up after he was finished. 

"Thank you." He repeated himself. And Rafa half-smiled, half-frowned. He was tired of hearing that today. 

After they were all done, and finally in bed after a long day, Rafa knelt between Roger's legs and sucked him off. He didn't prolong it, he didn't tease it out for a bit longer, he didn't try to do anything fancy. He simply took his lover in and led him smoothly to an inevitable end. 

Rafa allowed himself a mental pat on the back seeing the happy look on Roger's face after. Roger reached out to him and immediately Rafa was by his side, kissing him softly and assuringly. Already he could see, Roger was on the verge of sleep. 

And still, his hand reached down to Rafa's waistband to return the favour. But Rafa grabbed his wrist and stopped him, leaning in to place a small kiss on his temple. "No need no Rogi?" 

"But you didn't..." 

"No matter. Maybe tomorrow okay? Anyway I tired now" 

"Sure?" Roger asked and Rafa could almost hear the unspoken 'thank you for understanding' behind it. 

"For sure no?" 

Roger hummed his response and Rafa pulled him closer, allowing him to rest his head on his shoulder and stroking his hair till his breathing evened out. 

There wasn't much Rafa could do to take away Roger's worries and stresses but he didn't need to either. Roger was more than capable of handling all that himself. All Roger sometimes needed was a little bit of understanding and non-judgmental love and Rafa was always more than happy to give that to him. Whenever, wherever.


End file.
